Fire-extinguishing apparatus and method.



F. A. EPPS FIRE EXTINGUISHING APPARA TUS AND METHOD. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 11, l9l8.

1,260,1690 Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

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ras'liix A. mass, on NEW YORK, n. Y., ASSIGNOR '10 mcANDaEws & FORBES comm, or camnnn, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS AN 'D METHOD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1918.

Application filed January 11, 1918. Serial No. 211,822.

of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fire-Extinguishing Apparatus and Methods, of which the following is a specification, this application being a continuation in part of my allowed application, Ser. No. 160,458, filed April 7, 1917, g

abandoned in favor of the present application.

This invention relates to the extinguishing of fires by the use of chemical compositions, pertainlng more particularly to the manner of stor ng the extinguishing medium and the mode of rendering the medium active.

Extinguishing of fires by chemical action generally involves the admixture or commixture of two or more ingredients, normally maintained separate, but brought together when it is desired to use the medium for fire-extinguishing purposes.

Apparatus for bringing about this commixing of the ingredients is of many different types, but so far as I am aware, substantially all are designed to bring about a pressure condition preliminary to delivery of the ingredients on to the fire. For instance, the ingredients are brought together within a container to generate a pressure which aids in delivering the mixture; or the ingredients may' be kept separately under pressure which is made active to deliver them to a pont of admixture. Such structures necessarily are of particular types, more or less expensive, and requiring more or less manipulation to bring about activity of the medium at the desired point.

Various forms of chemical solutions have been employed for producing the extinguishing medium. A recent development in the art has been the production of a twosolution composition by means of which the combined solutions produce fumes non-supporting to combustion through the production of a foam effect in the medium. Various compositions of this general type have been provided including one co'ntainmgtheingredient known .as foamite the compositmn being more particularly disclosed in the patent to Walker, dated Nov. 23d, 1915,

No. 1,161,090. The solutions employed are substantially as follows, the percentages given being on a weight basis Solution A. Aluminum sulfate 11% Water 89% Solution B.

Foamite 3% Sodium bi-carbonate 8% Water 89% These solutions, when brought together, provide the desired foam-producing fire-extin ishing compound.

arious means have been employed for bringing about an admixture of these solutions, such means bringing about the result in various ways. Each, however, involves the use of pressure in one form or another.

Such apparatus is necessarily more or less expensive, depending upon the form of the installation, requiring more or less care and attention to maintain the apparatus in serviceable condition. These facts tend to restrict the use of the medium, an obviously undesirable result, since increase of extinguishing appliances tends to reduce fire risk.

The present invention is designed to meet these general conditions by the provision of an apparatus which is of low cost to manufacture, easily maintained in condition for use, and readily brought into service when required. This type of apparatus is made possible by the discovery that a proper commixture of the solutions can be had external of the container and in the absence of pressure-.if the separate solutions can be brought into more or less intimate contact during travel of the medium from the receptacle to the point of application, productravel a distance sufiicient to provide the admixture and retain the stream sufliciently intact to insure admixture against the resistance of the air in reaching the point of application. An apparatus of such type would require universal installation of a particular form of apparatus to provide for maximum fire protection, or generally involve a delay in bringing the apparatus to the point of application. However, the initial cost of universal installation would prevent the use of such apparatus generally, while the delay incident to bringing such apparatus to a more or less remote point of application, would at times permit the fire to ain considerable headway.

I have found that a sufiiciently efiective result can be obtained by employing an easily mani ulated receptacle, as for instance a buc et, and arrangin the solutions therein in such manner that w en the bucket is manipulated by dashing its contents on to the fire, the solutions will sulficiently commix' during travel of the solution streams through the air in reaching the fire,

to rovide an effective result, producin a su cient commixture to put out the re, especially if applied at the start. Commixture of all of the contents may not take place during such travel, but a suflicient amount will be had to produce the desired result, the result being increased by the commixture of the solutions after reaching the In producing this result, I locate the solution charge components in separate opentop compartments, preferably having a compartment for-each'component or dividing each component into component charges and locating each charge in an individual compartment of the bucket, the arrangement being such that the component contents of adjacent compartments are from different solutions, the contents remaining in the compartments until used or recharged. The bucket is normally closed by an easily-displaced cover so as to decrease the deterioration of the contents as far as possible. When it is desired to use the contents the handle of the bucket is grasped and by giving the bucket the manipulation usually employed in dashing the contents,

- the cover, if not previously removed, will pass out of position and permit the individual components or charges to move forward, the streams intersecting1 and intermingling during travel to the esired point. The aggregate amount of the discharged components is such that travel through the air will not entirely break up the stream-form of the contents but at the same time a more or less intimate contact of the difi'erent. solutions 'is brought about, sufliciently in had, more fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the views:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of one form of receptacle adapted for the purpose.

Fig. 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly: in vertical section, showing a different arrangement, the cover being shown in position.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the structure of Fig. 2 with the cover omitted.

Fig. 4 is a view partly in sectionand partly in elevation, showing a different type of closure.

A simple embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, in which a bucket or paillO forms the exterior of the apparatus, a suitable size of apparatus being one adapted to contain approximately three gallons of solution components. The pail is preferably of sheet metal and is flared outwardly toward its top. In the embodiment shown, the bucket .is shown with an inner container 25, referably arranged concentric with the wa ls of the bucket or pail 10, and secured to the-bottom of the latter in suitable manner. The inner container may be truly cylindrical but is preferably flared toward its top, as shown, the two structures-pail 10 and container 25- providing a space between the structures to form an annular chamber for receiving one of the component solutions, the other solution being located in container 25. The bucket 10 carries a handle 14. When the contents of the bucket or pail are dashed, the inner stream initially tends to form a core of the composite stream, this formation varying after discharge and causing the streams to more or less commix.

In the form'shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inner vessel 25 is omitted, the bucket being divided into quarters by partitions 11 which extend from the bottom substantially to the top of the pail, thus forming four compartments 12 in which the cross-sectional area increases toward the open top of the pail, this arrangement affording the greatest freedom of passage of the charge which may be in a compartment.

As shown more particularly in Fig. 3 the partitions extend at right angles to each other on diameters of the pail and one of the partitions preferably has its direction of length substantially corresponding to a plane intersecting the handle ears or pivots 13, the handle being indicated at 14. While this particular positioning of the partitions may be varied under the general principles of the invention, I prefer in this embodiment, to employ this positional arrangement. By arranging the component charges as shown in Fig. '3, viz: with charges of similar solution component opposite each other diametrically, adjacent charges being of different solution, the desired result may be obtained. By the referred positioning of the handle an of the partitions, the different charges are in such position, when the bucket is grasped by the user for dashing the contents, that intersection and intermingling of the several charge streams will provide the desired intimate contact of the solution. For instance, the partition at right angles to the handle may tend to separate the composite stream into two parts, but the upper charge on each side will be brought into contact with the lower charge as the stream travels toward the fire. Should said partition not cause separate stream formation, more or less intimate contact of the two upper and the two lower streams will be had thus increasing the desired effect.

The partitions are secured in position in such manner as to prevent the charge from one compartment passing into another, so

that each charge is maintained separate until it is desired to use the apparatus.

Obviously, the division of components can be had in the structure of Fig. 1, by employing additional containers, or annular members, located concentrically, increasing the number of compartmentsadjacent compartments containing different solutions. Or, the number of partitions 11 may be in creased to still further divide the solutions to increase the number of separate charges,

and thus tend to increase the admixing effeet. It should be understood, however, that each charge should be of sufficient volume as to insure its not being entirely dispersed by the resistance of the air in traveling to the point of application.

The pail in normal condition, is closed by a cover 15, which may be of sheet lead construction, as in Fig. 2, thus not only providing against the eifects of the acid which is COIltllIlGd in the'solutions, but in addition producing a cover of suflicient weight to retain its position without the necessity of securing means. Being of sheet lead the cover is somewhat ductile, and is preferably of larger diameter than the top of the pail, thus permitting the outer rim thereof to be turned down providing a marginal flange 15 to retain the cover against lateral move ment, said cover and marginal flange being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full lines in Fig. 2. Provision may be made to permit the handle 14-to be freely moved when the cover is in position, as by omitting the flange 15 at the points adjacent the cars 13 for the handle 14, as shown in Fig. 2. By employing a cover which requires no manipulation of securing devices, no material delay need be had in placing'the apparatus in operation, since the cover can be quickly slipped out of position or automatically passed oil? as the bucket is manipulated to dash the contents.

Or the closure may be of the type shown in Fig. 4, in which the bucket is shown as provided with a paraflin-receiving groove 20' into which the flange 21 of a suitably shaped lid extends. If desired, bands 22, of more or less ductile material may be secured to the bucket, the free ends being bent over the lid when the latter is in position. These bands are straightened out when the lid is removed.

Obviously, the bucket and container or partitions will be so' treated as to provide against destruction by the solution acids.

As will be readily understood, closing of the bucket by the cover will tend to prevent deterioration of the several char es. However, the pail is of a form which can be easily dumped and cleaned and fresh charges placed in position whenever found necessary.

The manually manipulable vessel structure is comparatively inexpensive and hence a sufficient number of different buckets or pails can be employed to meet anticipated conditions without excessive expense.

As will be understood, no special instruction in the manipulation of the extinguisher vessel is necessary, the manipulation required being that most natural to the user, viz: to throw out the contents in a forward direction on to the fire. Hence, no delay in attempting to follow articular instructions or to give predetermmed manipulations of the apparatus to brin about the commixture of the solutions is necessary, the manipulation in this respect being similar tothe well-known fire pail carrying water, while the action produced is similar to that provided by the use of the relatively expensiveapparatus, heretofore employed as containers for chemical fire-extinguishing solutions.

While I have herein shown and described preferred ways for carrying out the general prlnciples of. the invention, it will be obvious that changes and modifications therein may be required or desired to meet individual preferences and different types of installations, and I desire to be understood as reserving the right to make any and all such changes as may be found necessary and desirable in so far as the same may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as ex ressed in the accompanying claims.

aving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is:

1. A prepared foam producing fire extinguishing charge adapted to be dashed upon a fire, comprising a plurality of separate foam producing charge components normally maintained free from pressure and in non-contacting juxtaposition, with adjacent charge components differing from each other, and a container having separate compartments for the charge components comprising a manually manipulable vessel having an open top, the said construction of the vessel and arrangement of the charge com ponents being such that said components may be simultaneously projected from the vessel by a manual dashing or dumping action, whereby to cause said components to intermix after leaving the vessel and produce a fire-extinguishing foam.

2. A prepared foam producing fire extinguishing charge adapted to be dashed upon a fire, and a container therefor, comprising a manually manipulable vessel divided into a plurality of compartments each having an open top, each compartment containing a component'of a foam producing charge, the

component of one compartment differing from the component of an adjacent compartment, the said construction of the vessel and arrangement of the charge components being such that the several charge por- 'tions may be simultaneously projected from the container in the form of a stream by a manual dashing action, whereby the several stream units will be caused to intermix after leaving the vessel and produce a fire-extinguishing foam.

3. Apparatus for extinguishing fires by a foam extinguishing compound formed from a plurality of solutions and wherein the component solutions are normally maintained separate and brought together to produce the extinguishing compound, said apparatus comprising an upwardly flaring open top receptacle adapted to carry the solutions in separate state, said receptacle being divided on intersecting planes to form not less than four similar non-communicating compartments to receive the solutions of a two-solution fire-extinguishing compound,

adjacent compartments carrying different solutions, each compartment extending to such open top, and a sheet lead cover overlying the compartments and closing the com partment open tops, said cover being freely displaceable from closing position by dashing or dumping movements of the receptacle, whereby the solutions will normally remain separated and be brought to commixed condition by the receptacle dashing or dumping action.

4., The method of storing, delivering and commixing the normally-separated solution components of a fire-extinguishing medium of the foam-extinguishing type, which consists in normally maintaining the solution charge components free from pressure within a receptacle in non-contacting juxtaposition and with adjacent charge components difl'ering from each other as to solution con- ,tents, whereby the medium is normally.

maintained inactive, and commixing the charge components to produce a foam by dashing or dumping the said components toward the point of application concurrently to bring the separated solutions into uniting relation after leaving the receptacle.

5. The method of storing, delivering and commixing the normally-separatml solutions of a fire-extinguishing medium of the foam extinguishing type, which consists in dividing each solution into charges and normally maintaining the charges free from pressure within a receptacle in non-contacting juxta position and with adjacent charges differing from each other as to solution contents, whereby the medium is normally maintained inactive, and commixing the solutions to produce the medium by dashing or dumping all of the charges toward the point of application concurrently to bring the separated solutions into uniting relation by intersection of charge streams and intermingling of stream contents after leaving the receptacle and during travel of the streams to the point of application.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK A. EPPS. Witnesses:

E. JANEWAY, MINOR SCHANES. 

